Many varieties of locking devices exist in today's marketplace and are used to lock a variety of different devices or items. Some of these conventional locking devices are cable locks. Such conventional cable locks typically include a housing and a cable having one end connected to the housing and a second end insertable into and locked to the housing. These conventional cable locks typically use a wire cable having a plurality of metal wires twisted around each other to form a single cable. Wire cables typically have a spiraled exterior surface created by the twisting of the wires. Conventional cable locks typically have an unlocked state in which a free end of the cable is not inserted into the housing, and a locked state in which the free end of the cable is inserted into the housing and is locked thereto by an engaging member or locking member positioned within the housing.
Through patience, skill, and (at times) significant resources and ingenuity, thieves have found one or more manners to defeat virtually every cable lock in the marketplace. In many applications suitable for cable locks, success for a thief lies not in the ability to circumvent a cable lock (which can readily be done simply with cable cutters, liquid nitrogen and a hammer, or in other manners employing brute force), but to do so in an undetected manner. By circumventing a cable lock without being detected, efforts of security personnel to detect the theft in a timely manner and to determine when and/or where the theft occurred is compromised. Many different manners of circumventing conventional cable locks have been employed throughout the years, some of which will now be described for purposes of illustration and example.
Some conventional cable locks define an inlet aperture in a wall of the housing to allow insertion of the cable into the housing. Such inlet apertures are typically round. When a cable (such as a wire cable) is inserted into the inlet apertures, gaps are present between the cable and the edge of the inlet aperture due to the gaps created between the spirals of the cable. Such gaps provide a place through which thieves can gain entry into the internal elements of the cable lock (e.g., with picks and other tools) to potentially unlock the cable lock. By unlocking the cable lock in this manner, the thieves can re-lock the cable lock after a theft to reduce the chances that the theft will be quickly detected.
Some conventional cable locks include engaging members or locking members (e.g., balls, pins, discs, tabs, and the like) that are retained within the housing of the cable locks and grip the cable received therein. Such locking members grip the cable and provide resistance to cable withdrawal out of the housing in a direction opposite that of cable insertion. Thieves have bypassed these types of conventional cable locks by repeatedly twisting the cable with force in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions in order to create slippage between the cable and the engaging or locking members until the cable is completely removed from the housing in the insertion direction. In this manner, the cable lock can be re-locked after a theft to delay detection of the theft.
Many conventional cable locks include housings defining an internal cavity having an enclosed end and an open end through which the internal components of the cable lock are inserted into the cavity during manufacturing of the cable lock. The open end is sealed off by positioning an end cap in the open end of the housing and by crimping the housing around the end cap. Such crimping of the housing secures the end cap in place in the open end of the housing. However, crimping the housing to around the end cap can create gaps between the edge of the end cap and the housing through which picks and other tools can be inserted to unlock the lock. In some cases, thieves position a tool or machine within the gap and pry the end cap out from the open end of the housing or uncrimp the open end of the housing in order to remove the end cap from the open end of the housing. In either case, access is thereby provided to the internal components of the cable lock. To delay detection of a theft, the thieves can replace the end cap in the open end of the housing and can re-crimp the housing a tool or machine to once again secure the end cap in place.
Conventional cable locks typically employ a cable permanently secured with respect to the housing and having a free end for insertion into the housing as described above. In order for the first end of the cable to be permanently secured with respect to the housing, some conventional cable locks have a projection or other body portion connected or integral with the housing. This projection or other body portion has an aperture through which the cable is passed, after which time the projection or other body portion is crimped to secure the cable with respect to the housing. However, thieves have bypassed such cable locks by cutting the cable, using a machine or tool (e.g., a drill) to remove the cut cable from the aperture, inserting a new cable, and re-crimping the new cable in the aperture.
By using the methods discussed above and others on conventional cable locks, it is often difficult to identify that the locks have been bypassed. In some applications (such as for trailers, cargo containers, and other mobile cargo storage units used to move cargo), the popular use of conventional cable locks is exacerbated due to the added difficulty in identifying where the theft took place during transit. Having more prompt information indicating that a theft has occurred could more easily lead law enforcement agencies to the thieves and the stolen goods.
In light of the above problems and issues (as well as others known to those in the art but not discussed herein), an improved cable lock and locking method would be welcome in the art.